Graduation Suite (Processional: Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 / Recessional: Rondeau from Premiere Suite): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Michael Story has done what few arrangers manage: he's preserved the ceremonial dignity of these two pieces while keeping the instrumentation lean enough for a young band to execute cleanly. The pairing of Elgar's iconic processional with Mouret's stately rondeau creates a complete graduation arc that feels earned, not borrowed. Your students will play music that carries real weight in the room.

The Pomp and Circumstance march conveys measured pageantry and forward momentum, inviting the band to walk with purpose. The Rondeau shifts the mood to something more graceful and reflective, creating a sense of closure that lets the ceremony settle into a moment of dignity rather than fanfare.

This arrangement serves young concert bands at the Grade 2 level who want to mark a significant school event with music that sounds polished and intentional. It's equally valuable for high school bands performing without graduating seniors who still need appropriate processional and recessional music.

• Shape the phrases of the Rondeau with careful attention to the gentle peaks in the melodic line. Young bands tend to play straighter than the music requires; let the phrasing breathe.
• Balance the harmony between woodwinds and brass in the Pomp and Circumstance march. Neither section should overwhelm. A soloist leading the melody will help younger players understand where the top voice lives.
• Tempo consistency matters in both movements, especially during transitions between sections. Lock your internal pulse early so that the band stays together without feeling rushed.
• Consider a brief silence between the processional and recessional to reset the acoustic space and let the audience adjust. This small moment enhances both pieces.

This is your go-to graduation suite: use the processional to open the ceremony and the recessional to close it. The pairing works equally well for concert programming if you're building a set around ceremonial or classical themes, or as a bookend to a longer program that otherwise features contemporary works.

• Sustaining long, even tones across phrases in march style
• Balance between independent melodic lines and supporting harmony
• Controlling tempo and ensemble unity without a metronome
• Responding to subtle phrasing and rubato in Baroque melody
• Coordinating visual cues in an organized processional context